Last May, I was invited to represent Ireland in the Peaceville initiative organised by Visit Flanders. To commemorate the centenary of World War I, I joined travel bloggers from around the world in Belgium to explore some of the most significant sites from the Great War. For me, the highlight of the trip was a specially organised tour of the places where the Irish fought, died and found peace with each other. Controversial Overshadowed by…
“She was so fond of this Pucci dress that she’s said to have ordered one in every colour.” It’s Saturday morning and I’m on a private tour of the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. “Rumour has it she’s buried in the green version,” says Anne, the museum guide, gesturing to a demure pink dress once owned by Marilyn Monroe. It comes as a revelation that Monroe was so taken by such a simple,…
Bentleys glide through the streets. Super yachts bask in the bay. It’s August in Cannes: playtime for mega rich show-offs, both vulgar and fabulous. The good news is that in the midst of all this ostentation it’s possible to find a boutique hotel that doesn’t take itself too seriously, or break the bank. Hotel Colette, enchanté. Hotel Colette’s interior design is chic but fun. Rooms are decorated in a minimalist style with punchy accents such…
Just like a song or a person, I can associate a perfume with nearly every destination I’ve visited. My discovery in Milan was Prada’s Infusion d’Iris. Bright Crystal by Versace always reminds me of a trip to Reykjavik, while New York will forever be Hypnose by Lancome. It’s easy then to see why I couldn’t take a trip to the fragrant south of France without paying a visit to the prestigious Galimard Perfumery in Grasse.…
This year marks the 100th anniversary of World War I. Between the years 1914 to 1918, soldiers travelled from five continents and over fifty different countries to the West Flemish region of Belgium. Sadly, the naive sense of adventure that led many of these young recruits here was a million miles from what was to confront them. Over 600,000 died during battle in Belgium. Today, in the ‘Peace City’ of Ypres, they have not been…
